Far from offering a swansong for the PS3, as its next-gen cousin hogs the headlines, Gran Turismo 6 might rather be seen as a triumphant chorus in celebration of the machine's continued relevance, performed to the glorious thundering of no fewer than 1,200 distinct engines.

As with previous iterations, Gran Turismo 6 remains a somewhat stern, encyclopedic tribute to all things automotive. The emphasis is still on simulation, and as such it can feel rather sterile at times. But here, Polyphony Digital's latest effort also has a spring in its step that was somewhat lacking in its infamously cold predecessors.

Much feels familiar, but outside the hundreds of races that form the title's core, for example, there are playful side-challenges. Its greatest strength, aside from graphical muscle, lies in its variety. The game's huge number of cars cover a range of vehicle types, and put in players' hands machines that handle in a myriad different ways; there's ample diversity in the racing itself, too.

While the game is still likely to appeal strictly to genre-devotees, it also proves that a seven-year-old console, with plenty under the bonnet, can still deliver sublime experiences.